Natalie du toit short biography

The Order of Ikhamanga in Gold

Natalie Du toit (1984 - ) Awarded for:

Exceptional achievements in the international sporting arena and serving as an inspiration to all South Africans.

Profile of Natalie Du toit

As a young girl of 14, Natalie du Toit represented South Africa in swimming at the Commonwealth Games held in Kuala Lumpur in 1998.

Natalie has also authored an autobiography and maintains her own website. In March 2010, she was named the Laureus World Sportsperson of the Year with a Disability for breaking barriers in sports for people with disabilities. After three months of rehabilitation, she not only learned to walk again but also made the firm decision to continue swimming and pursuing sports.

Triumphs and Paralympic Success

In the pool, Natalie removed her prosthetic leg and felt at home once again.

In 2004, she was ranked 48th in the Top 100 Great South Africans by the South African Broadcasting Corporation. She had the honor of carrying the South African flag during the opening ceremony of the Beijing Olympics.

Recognition and Philanthropy

Natalie du Toit is widely respected and beloved in South Africa, receiving numerous government awards and recognitions.

Even more astonishing was her historic qualification for the 800m able-bodied open freestyle final – the first time ever that an athlete with a disability had qualified for a final – and her incredible second place in that event. Despite the pain and trauma, Natalie chose to focus on her recovery and rehabilitation. Her achievements cemented her status as one of the greatest Paralympic athletes of all time.

Beyond the Medals

Natalie’s impact extends far beyond her athletic accomplishments.

Even more astonishingly, after her leg amputation, she continued to compete in mainstream competitions against able-bodied athletes.

Early Life and Education

Natalie du Toit was born in 1984 in Cape Town, South Africa. There is nothing wrong with us. She believes that “society needs to understand that we are people first, who happen to have disabilities.

The pinnacle of her career came in 2004 when she won five gold medals and one silver medal at the Paralympic Games in Athens. With unwavering determination and a relentless work ethic, she fought to regain her strength and hone her swimming skills.

 

As the video showcases, Natalie’s journey was not an easy one, but her resilience and passion for the sport kept her going.

While riding her scooter home from school, she was hit by a car, resulting in the amputation of her left leg above the knee.

She has used her platform to advocate for the rights of people with disabilities, inspiring others to pursue their dreams and never give up.

.

Du Toit again made Paralympics history when she smashed the record for the 400m freestyle with a stunning 4 min 28.09 seconds win that lopped an incredible 7,06 seconds off the previous world record which she had also set in 2003.

Besides her truly amazing accomplishments as a swimmer, Du Toit is also an inspirational speaker, actively campaigning for the rights of disabled people in South Africa and worldwide.

Yet so strong was her determination to overcome her setback that within four weeks, before she had learnt to walk without assistance, she was back in the swimming pool.

Twelve months later she won the 50m and 100m disability freestyle swimming titles at the Commonwealth Games held in Manchester in 2002, breaking two world records in the process.

In 2003, Natalie won gold in the 800-meter event at the All-Africa Games and silver in the 1000-meter freestyle. In the process she set four world records and one Paralympics record.